An Unexpected Visit Part 6
by Cassandrala
Summary: Writing the next page to a friend's story- Tauriel has come to Erebor bearing Kili's child, Thorin must decide between family and law


_**I sympathize with writers who are stopped from their writing by everyday life, but I got hooked into a story (An Unexpected Visit) regarding Kili and Tauriel and I couldn't handle having to wait. Thus, I wrote my own installment of what happened next.**_

_**The original writer (Ingvild) has taken the story back up and written a few more chapters since I posted this- be sure to give her your support and read the rest of it here: deviantart (dot com) and add: /art/An-Unexpected-Visit-Part-6-462062550**_

**Part 6 **

Thorin shook the old midwife awake.

"You're needed." He spoke in a low tone. Though the passing between him and Tauriel had gone well, he had reached his limits of comfort in sharing the room with a naked, though covered, elf in labor to speak nothing of his willpower to stay in the room while she delivered. He moved swiftly to the door, prying it open, and standing outside for a moment to catch his breath. The action woke a sleeping Fili, who looked at his uncle's distressed face and eyed him questioningly.

"What's happened?" He whispered.

"The child is coming." Thorin called behind his shoulder as he headed through the halls.

Fili's eyebrows shot up and he whispered no more, calling to Kili and announcing that Tauriel's time had come. Kili's head turned this way and that, rising to his feet in a panic and moving to grasp the door handle.

"You can't go in there!" Fili pulled at his brother.

"I can and I will." Kili said, brushing the blonde dwarf off and entering the room. His determination launched him onto a scene he was not totally prepared for and he found himself reaching to cover his ears while Tauriel let out a wail that was half screech and half bellow. The midwife was reaching through Tauriel's legs and Kili feared that this was all happening too quickly. His panic was shortened, though, when her hands came back empty though they were covered in blood.

"You're ready." The old woman said unimpressively while she wiped her hands clean. She noticed the standing Kili. "Either leave or make yourself useful."

Kili did not know what she meant by useful, this was really Tauriel's task to perform, but he sat on the chair by the bed, gripping Tauriel's outstretched hand and kissing it as though infusing strength into it. Tauriel blew out a few breaths, still tensing, but waiting for another roll of fiery pain as the muscles pushed her burden deeper down. She whimpered, sweat rolling off her brow and nodding weakly at Kili.

"You came." She smiled through huffs.

"And I'm not leaving." His lips moved against her hand. The midwife had her hands against either side of Tauriel's belly, sensing their tension and waiting for something. The coverings Tauriel had before were tossed aside on the ground, revealing the girth of her swollen belly. It was a frightening sight, Kili thought to himself, but it was only for a short time longer that she would need to endure it.

Tauriel let out a low moan and the midwife nodded her head. "Ready yourself, the next one is coming."

Dwarves are thicker and stronger than most races, which was fortunate for Kili because Tauriel's grip on his hand might have crushed it otherwise. But he kept it there, enduring the power he felt coursing through her palm and fingers and absorbing some of the pain as though it might ease the load she carried. The screams emanating from the room were terrifying to Fili has he sat outside the door, and he warred with himself over whether he should remove himself to a distance or remain close by if his brother needed him.

"You're there." The midwife called over the shouts. "You need to push now."

An exertion of strength with a crumpled brow halted Tauriel's voice momentarily. She squeezed her eyes shut and gritted her teeth, trying to expel what was in her. The midwife reached a hand between Tauriel's legs again and shook her head.

"Your baby is turned the wrong way." The midwife said, almost in a scolding manner. "You're going to have to push near to twice as hard now, but wait for the next wave. Now you rest for a moment."

Tauriel's head pounded backward into the pillow that supported her while she gasped for air. A tear fell from one of her eyes and Kili caught it with a large finger, wiping it away and kissing her forehead. He had no words—what was he to say?—but he made sure that always he was touching her, willing his contact to invigorate her and help her through this madness.

"I can't… I can't…" her voice was a breathy whisper.

Kili's brow knitted together and he clasped the side of her face. "Yes, you can, you're strong."

Tauriel shook her head. "You…" She breathed, staring at him in fright. "Make you leave… this is your home… I can't let you…"

"Get ready, dear." The midwife announced, her hands touching the sides of Tauriel's belly again. Tauriel's legs shivered and she couldn't make them move. Sensing this, the midwife took one leg and shoved it back, instructing Kili to take the other. He fitted the bend of her knee through the crook of his elbow and pulled back as far as he dared while Tauriel mumbled and cried with a heave of strength. From this view he could not avoid seeing what was taking place and he noticed a limb leave Tauriel's skin. He released a breath, almost in a laugh, excitement rushing over him.

"I can see it!" He called to Tauriel in encouragement.

On hearing this, her efforts doubled, and the midwife's eyes grew wide in seeing the strength of the elf work so rapidly. But the contraction died down and the midwife implored Tauriel to rest. Kili released her leg and moved to her side once more.

"You're almost finished." He cheered her, taking up her hand again and kissing it. "The worst is almost over." His grin reached almost to his eyes, but she did not meet them with his enthusiasm.

"No…" She shook her head. "The worst is… yet to come. You'll be exiled."

Kili's heart was in his throat.

"You don't need to think about that right now." He said adamantly. "I will make sure all is well, I will not leave you again."

She leaned toward him weakly and he saved her the other half of distance by lowering his face to hers in a kiss, cupping the back of her head and gripping her hand in his other. When they drew apart, he looked into her eyes and implored her again, "That's not your burden to carry right now, it's mine. Let me do my part while you do yours."

She nodded with a half-smile, gritting her teeth as the next wave came.

"Ready again." The midwife called to Kili, who took up Tauriel's leg as before, hoping that this torture would be over for Tauriel soon. Tauriel no longer screamed but grunted with every heave, determined to end her fleshly nightmare and see the face of the little child she had waited so long for.

"Almost there." The old dwarf called, hands outstretched around the body of the little person coming into the world. "I know you're working hard, but I need you to give me a little more."

With a shout that sounded something close to a war chant, Tauriel grabbed the bedframe sides and gave one last enormous heave. She felt a great weight leave her and she fell back onto the bed while pulling in as much air as her lungs would hold. Small cries from a small person came at the foot of the bed in the midwife's hands. Expertly, the old dwarf wrapped the babe and handed it to its father, whose face was beaming with wonder while he cradled it for a moment. He held the child close to his body, terrified of breaking this small treasure and moved slowly and carefully to sit on the bed beside Tauriel.

"Here you go, mum." A tear left Kili's overjoyed eye while he gently propped the bundle in the crook of Tauriel's arm.

She eyed the child in amazement. Its ears were pointed, but it so clearly looked like Kili and wiggled its head with a gurgle and bubble.

Kili could not contain himself any longer and bounded to the door, pulling it open and jumping outside of it to exclaim with raised hands, "Fili, I'm a father!"

A rush of joy welled up in Fili at this announcement and he careened into Kili for a bear hug. The two jumped around in that hug for a moment, when Fili asked, "Is it a boy or a girl?"

Kili frowned as he was brought up short and disappeared into the room again, leaving a waiting Fili outside. Fili could hear Kili's boots clamoring inside before he once again made his way out the door to face his brother.

"It's a girl!" He exclaimed, once again raising his hands and bringing on boisterous laughter from Fili.

After Tauriel had dressed, though not yet fully recovered, she propped herself up on the bed to receive the congratulations of an abundance of dwarves. Despite the circumstances, the occasion was not marred and warm faces greeted Kili's daughter for the first time.

She was enchanting. Her curly, dark-haired locks were so obviously her fathers, but her pointed ears paid tribute to her elven heritage. She had opened her eyes for the first time while Uncle Fili held her, disarming them all with how large and blue they were.

"She's going to steal so many hearts." Fili chuckled with a wide grin and then turned to Kili, "You'll need to park your cleaver at the door to ward off her prospective suitors."

They all laughed at this because the implication was sweet, but Tauriel's smile died down when she realized just how false that hope was. She had trouble letting her thoughts focus on her daughter's future and it was a struggle at this point to keep her spirits up. Kili noticed her wavering smile and moved to sit next to her on the bed, pecking at her cheek and wrapping his arm around her as though to protect her from the dark thoughts he knew she was fighting. But his efforts were undone when a large set of boots tapped into the room.

"Congratulations." A low voice boomed. They all looked up to see a mountainous Thorin filling the doorway. He stood there for a moment, unknowning how he should enter such a room full of joy.

After a while, he spoke. "May I be permitted to hold my…?"

"—neice." Fili offered, glancing at Tauriel as though asking for permission. She nodded and he moved to hand his uncle the wrapped body of the baby girl.

She was undeniably charming, this little gem, and cooed softly with wide eyes at the scarred and aged face that looked down on her. And she was positively tiny in comparison to the great arms which now wielded her, but ever gentle was his touch when he pressed a finger to her rosebud lips.

"She's… amazing."


End file.
